Locking mechanism for press box doors



Aug. 13, 1940. A. B. CHRISTOPH- LOCKING MECHANISM FOR PRESS BOX DOORS sheets-sheer l Filed July 19. 1957 Aug. 13, 1940. A. B. cHRisToPH LOCKING MECHANISM FOR PRESS BOX DOORS Filed July 19, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT orgies ORS Albert B. Christoph, Dallas, Tex., assigner to The Murray Company, Dallas, Tex., a

of Texas corporation Application July 19, 1937, Serial No'. 154,446

4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in locking mechanism for press box doors.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism for positively locking the doors of a press box in a closed position during the baling operation, said mechanism being quickly and easily actuated by a single operator.

An important object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for locking the doors of a cotton press box and having improved means for actuating the mechanism, said means being so constructed that the locking mechanism cannot be disengaged by the pressure of the press ram against the cotton confined within the box during the baling operation, whereby the doors remain closed and locked in such closed position until the actuating means is operated, which prevents accidental opening thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved, mechanism for the doors of a press box, which mechanism includes connections at the upper and lower ends of said doors, with manually operated means for actuating the mechanism, whereby both the upper and lower connections are actuated simultaneously, which facilitates the baling operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanism of the character described, wherein a worm and gear means is employed for moving and holding the connecting links in a locked position, whereby said worm and gear cannot be operated in a reverse direction due to the pitch of the worm teeth, thereby preventing accidental operation of the mechamsm.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cotton press box, having a door locking mechanism, constructed in accordance with the invention mounted thereon,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is a horizontal, cross-sectional View, taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2 and showing the mechanism in a locked position,

Figure 4 is a similar View, with the mechanism in an unlocked position,

Figure 5 is a horizontal, cross-sectional View, taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1, and

Figure 6 is an enlarged, sectional detail of one of the connecting links.

In the drawings, the numeral I designates a cotton press box which is constructed of a plu- (Cl. 10G-19) rality of vertical channel members II, which are secured to transverse bracing channels Il', (Figures 3 and 4) and this box is suitably mounted on a platform or floor I2. The central portion of the platform is mounted on a vertical shaft I3, whereby said platform and the press box mounted thereon may be rotated. The cotton is fed into the box I0 from a suitable chute and is packed within the box by a tramper (not shown).

After the cotton has been packed or tamped, the platform I2 is rotated so as to move the box Il! and the cotton therein into alinement with the usual press ram (not shown) and said ram then compresses the cotton into a bale. The mounting of the box I I) on the rotatable platform I2, as well as the use of a tramper and press ram, is common practice, and forms no part of the present invention, being described merely for the sake of clarity.

To permit access to the interior of the box I0, the sides of said box are open, and these open sides are closed by Suitable doors I and I5. Since each door is constructed and mounted in exactly the same manner, a description of one ywill suffice. Each door includes a plurality of vertically extending channel bars lli, which are suitably fastened by bolts I1 to horizontally extending channel members I8. As is clearly shown in Figure 1, one of the channel members I8 is located nearer the upper end of the door I5, while the other channel member is located near the lower end thereof. 'Ihe outer ends of the members I 8 extend beyond the end of the box and the inner ends of said members are formed with horizontal brackets I9 through which a shaft I3' extends. Since the double press box employs four doors, two on each side, a shaft I3 is provided for each pair of doors and each shaft I3 has its lower end secured in the base or platform I2, with its upper end secured in a channel member I3a, which member is suitably fastened to the press box frame. The shafts I3' are located one on each side of the shaft I3. The brackets I9 are supported on suitable bearing collars which are fastened on the shaft by screws and, thus, said brackets are rotatably supported on the shaft. A double press box' has been shown in Figure 1 and, as is well known, a double box employs four doors, two on each side. All of the doors are mounted in the same manner on the shafts I3' and with this arrangement, it will be evident that the doors I5 and I5 may be swung outwardly of the box, swinging on the shafts I3. Of course, the doors may be hinged on any suitable support provided for the purpose.

Manifestly, when the press ram (not shown) is compressing the cotton within the box IIB into a bale, the doors I5 and I5 which form the sides of said box must belocked in a closed position. The locking mechanism must be sufficient to withstand the excessive pressure exerted against the cotton by the ram, otherwise said doors would be opened during the baling operation, which would be most undesirable. Therefore, it is essential that the locking mechanism positively hold the doors in a locked position while the ram is operated, and since the time within which each bale must be turned out is limited, it is necessary that the locking mechanism be readily actuated so as to facilitate the removal of the completed bale.

For locking the doors I5 and I 5 in a closed position, a pair of connecting or latch members A and B are provided, the member A being located above the uppermost horizontal channel I8 of the door, with the other member B being located below the lowermost channel i8 of said doors. The members A and B are adapted to connect the doors I5 and I5 to each other when said doors are in a closed position, and said members extend transversely of the box at the outer end thereof. The connecting member A includes a bar 23 and a link ZI, which parts are pivoted to each other on a pin 22. The bar 2li has its outer end rounded to form a cylindrical pin 22'. A vertical shaft 23 is mounted in the extended ends of the horizontal channels I 8 which form a part of the door I 5. The upper end of this shaft extends above the uppermost channel I3 and has an enlarged collar 24 surrounding the same. The cylindrical pin 22' on the bar 20 of the connecting member A extends through openings 25 in the collar 2li and also through a transverse opening 26 in the upper end of the shaft 23. Suitable lock nuts 2l are threaded on the pin 22 to securely fasten the arm 20 to the upper end of the shaft 23. Obviously the mounting of the collar 24 on the shaft 23 prevents said shaft from moving downwardly with relation to the door I5', Swinging of the arm 20 will, of course, cause a rotation of the shaft 23.

The lower end of the shaft 23 projects below the lowermost channel I8 of the door I5 and has a collar Z4 surrounding the same. The lower connecting member B is formed in the same manner as the member A and includes a bar 2U' having a cylindrical pin 23 formed on its outer end. The pin 23 extends through the collar 24 and the lower end of the shaft 23 and has suitable lock nuts 26' threaded thereon, whereby the lower connecting member B is secured to the lower end of the shaft. To assure the shaft 23 being locked in position on the channels I8 of the door I5', lock nuts 2'! are threaded on the shaft 23 and engage the channels I8 on the sides opposite the collars 2li and 24 as is clearly shown in Figure 2.

The connecting members A and B are thus carried by the door I5 having one end secured to the shaft 23 which is mounted in the channels I8 of said door. Since the shaft 23 is rotatable within the channels I3, the members A and B may be swung outwardly of the ends of the box I, as is shown in Figure 4. Beside the pivotal mounting of the ends of the members A and B on the door I5', said members may be broken at the pivot pin 22 which is substantially at the center of each member. This permits the link 2l to be swung with relation to the bar 20.

The link 2l is constructed of a pair of parallel bars which are spaced from each other, as is clearly shown in Figure 2. The outer end of each bar is formed with an inwardly extending ear 28 and the ears of the overlying bars of said link are connected by a vertical pin 29. The link 2| of the lower connecting member B is constructed in the same manner and includes a pin 2S similar to the pin 29 of the upper member A. For connecting the link 2I of the upper member A to the link 2|' of the lower member B, a vertically extending rod 30 is provided. This rod, as is clearly shown in Figure 2, has its upper end extending to the extreme outer end of the link 2I, while its lower end extends through the outer end of the link 2|. A spacer sleeve 3l surrounds the rod 30 being located between the links 2I and 2l', and the outer ends of the connecting rod receive nuts 32, whereby said rod and the sleeve 3| are securely fastened to the links 2l and 2|. Obviously, the rod acts to connect the outer ends of the connecting members A and B, while the spacer sleeve 3l holds the outer ends of the links ZI and 2l of these members the proper distance apart regardless of the position to which said members A and B may be swung.

From the above, it will be seen that the connecting members A and B are carried by the door I5 and when said door is swung on its brackets i9, the members are swung therewith. The length of the members A and B is such that when both doors are in a closed position, the outer ends of the links 2| and 2l extend slightly beyond the horizontal channels I8 of the door I5, whereby the vertical rod 30 and sleeve 3l, which secure said links together, are supported adjacent to the outer longitudinal edges of the channels I8, as is clearly shown in Figure 3. A vertical shaft 34 is rotatably mounted in the channels I8 of the door I5 and has its upper and lower ends projecting beyond the channels. Suitable collars 35 which are secured to the shaft and which engage the channels I8 act to prevent vertical movement of said shaft. A gear box 35 surrounds the shaft and is supported on a collar 37 which is keyed to said shaft. It is noted that the shaft is rotatable with relation to the box and is provided with a gear 38 which is confined within the box. The gear is, of course, keyed or otherwise fastened on said shaft. A worm gear 39 is mounted on a horizontal shaft 4B, which shaft is journaled within an extension 36 formed at one side of the gear box. The worm is in constant engagement with the teeth of the gear 33 and manifestly, when said worm is rotated, a rotation is imparted to the gear and to the shaft 34 to which said gear is attached. For facilitating rotation of the shaft 4B in order to rotate the worm 39, a suitable hand wheel 4I is fastened to the outer end of said shaft.

The extended upper and lower ends of the shaft 34 are provided with split keeper or latch members l2 which are clamped on said shaft and are held in place by bolts 45 and nuts IIS. Each latch member has a semi-circular recess or jaw I'I therein (Figure 4) and a projection 1S extends outwardly from this recess. When the hand wheel 4I is revolved to rotate the vertical shaft 34, it will be obvious that the members 112 are rotated with the shaft so as to be moved from the position shown in Figure 4 to that shown in Figure 3, and vice versa.

When the doors I5 and I5 are open, the connecting members A and B are, of course, swung away from the end of the box IIJ since they are carried by the door I5'. When it is desired to close and lock the doors I5 and I5', the same are swung inwardly to the position shown in Figures 3 and 4, with the connecting members A and B extending along the end wall of the box I. The

members A and B are then straightened so as to extend substantially parallel to the end wall, the link 2l swinging on the pivot pin 22 while the arm 2li swings on the shaft 23. When the arm and the link of each member are in alinement with each other, the members are in the position shown in Figure 3 with the connecting rod 30 adjacent to the outer edge of the channels I8 on the door I5. At this time, the inner surfaces of the lugs or ears 28 which are formed on the outer ends of the links 2|', and 2I are engaging the rounded surface of the vertical operating shaft 34. The hand wheel 4I is then rotated in a counter-clockwise direction to impart a rotation to the shaft 34, whereby the latching members 42 are rotated in a similar direction so as to move them from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 3. The swinging of the keeper or latch members 42 in a counter-clockwise direction causes said members to enter the space between the bars which form the links 2I and 2l. As the members 42 continue their movement the pin 29 located at the outer end of each link 2i and 2l' is enegaged in the semicircular recess 4l of said members. After being so engaged continued movement of the members in a counter-clockwise direction to the position shown in Figure 3, causes the projection 4S to engage and confine the pin 29, whereby an outward swinging of the links 2I and ZI is prevented. Thus the doors I5 and I5' are positively locked to each other by the connecting members A and Bf. Any pressure exerted against the doors I5 and I5' will be from within the box and since the pressure exerted is in an outward direction the doors are in effect pulling against each other since they are connected through the members A and B. There is no danger of the pressure within the box accidentally unlocking the members A and B for the pitch of the worm 39 is such that it would be impossible to operate said worm in a reverse direction. Therefore, even though there was a tendency for the latch members 42 to be rotated in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Figure 3, such rotation would be absolutely prevented by the worm and gear connection. 'Ihe single hand wheel controls both of the members A and B so that upon a rotation of said hand wheel in aA reverse or clockwise direction, both of the latch members 42 are disengaged from the pins 29 and 29 of the links 2I and 2I respectively, whereby said links may be swung outwardly to the position shown in Figure 4 and thus disconnect the doors from each other. The entire construction is very simple and the locking mechanism may be applied to any press box now in common use. The members A and B are operated simultaneously being moved to their locked or to their unlocked position at the same time. After they are once fastened or secured in their locked position, the only way in which they can be disconnected is through rotation in a clockwise direction of the hand wheel 4I.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A locking mechanism for press box doors which doors are located on opposite sides of the box including, a vertical rotatable shaft mounted in a fixed position on one door of the box, a pair of latch members secured to said shaft and spaced from each other thereon, whereby the members are swung when the shaft is rotated, each latch member comprising a pair of elements which are hinged together, said hinge permitting a swinging of the elements with relation to each other only in a horizontal plane, a rigid connection between the outer or free ends of the latch members, keepers mounted on the opposite door in the same horizontal plane as the latch members, whereby the free ends of said members are at all times in horizontal alinement with the keepers, and means for actuating the keepers to move them into and out of engagement with the free 1 ends of the latch members.

2. A locking mechanism for press box doors which doors are located on opposite sides of the box including, a vertical rotatable shaft mounted in a fixed position on one door of the box, a pair of latch members secured to said shaft and spaced from each other thereon, whereby the members are swung when the shaft is rotated, each latch member comprising a iiat bar having one end secured to the shaft, and an element consisting of two bars hingedto thefree end of the flat bar, the iiat bar being confined between the two bars of said element, whereby the elements of each latch member may swing only in a horizontal plane, means for rigidly connecting the outer of latch members secured to said shaft and I' spaced from each other thereon, whereby the members are swung when the shaft is rotated, each latch member comprising a flat bar having one end secured to the shaft, and an element consisting of two bars hinged to the free end of the flat bar, the fiat bar being conned between the two bars of said element, whereby the elements of each latch member may swing only in a horiv zontal plane, means for rigidly connecting tne outer ends of the latch members together, whereby said members may be swung simultaneously, a rotatable shaft mounted on the other door of the press box, keepers carried by the latter shaft adapted to swing and engage the free ends of the latch members to lock the members to the door, and means for rotating the shaft on which the keepers are mounted to engage and disengage said keepers from said latch members.

4. The combination with the doors of a press box wherein the side doors are each hinged at one end to swing horizontally, of a pair of horizontally swinging latch members carried by one of the side doors and extending across one end only of the press box to the other side door, each member comprising a pair of links, the links being flat and. having their ends connected together by a vertical pivot pin so as to limit the swinging movement of the links to a horizontal plane, a vertical rod connecting the free ends of the latch members to permit simultaneous swinging thereof, upper and lower keeper members rotatably ymounted on the latter side door for engaging the ends of the latch members and latching the same, a vertical rotatable shaft connecting the keeper members, and means for rotating the shaft to swing said keeper members into latching engagement with the latch members.

ALBERT B. CHRISTOPH. 

